LeeAnne LowryThe Trump administration is pushing for accelerated development of a potential coronavirus vaccine.
A senior official told media the project is called "Operation Warp Speed." The goal is to have hundreds of thousands of vaccines ready by the end of the year. Though it hasn't been officially announced, Newsy confirmed the initiative with the Department of Health and Human Services Thursday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci — a member of the White House's coronavirus task force — has previously said vaccine development would likely take 12 to 18 months.
The New York Times reports that some officials are "apparently trying to talk the president down," saying speeding up the process could result in an unsafe or ineffective vaccine.
While many COVID-19 vaccines are in the works worldwide, none of them are ready. Researchers say one vaccine — developed at University of Oxford — could be ready by September, months earlier than originally planned if it proves effective.
Contains footage from CNN.
